I just finished reading last month's Wonder Woman. Of the lot, it was the last comic I read. And I'm not sure why that is. It's certainly a better read than it's been in years. The characterization is good, the art is gorgeous. And this one featured a villain from one of my favorite Morrison-era JLA storylines.
But...I just can't seem to make myself a Wonder Woman fan. Not in the "must read it immediately!" sense. Or even in the "read it as soon as I've got a spare hour or so" sense.
It's not because the book is badly written, because it's not.
It's not because of a lack of good supporting cast, because Etta Candy!
It's not, goodness knows, that I don't like female characters. (She-Hulk is close to the top of the list of comics I do read the day they arrive. So's Birds of Prey.)
I think it may be that when it comes down to it, I like the idea of Wonder Woman more than I like the character herself.
More to the point, I think it may be a case of Superman Syndrome.
For one thing, I've never been a big fan of the unbelievably powerful characters. Never cared for Superman (well, that's understandable when it comes to Silver Age Superman). Never read Thor or The Hulk. I did read Iron Man, but back in the day he wasn't quite as big a gun as he is currently.
I've also never been a big fan of role-model characters. It might be my Marvel-girl upbringing, but the characters who are too good to be true? Always honest and true, never mean or crabby? Always do the right thing and are never really tempted to do otherwise? I'd love to have them fighting crime in my city, but reading about them is something different. And that's Diana. It has to be--she's got the power level that requires it, she's got the will that makes it possible.
I want to like Wonder Woman. In many ways I do. But she's never managed to capture my imagination in the way so many other superheroes have. And if Gail Simone can't do it for me, I suspect that no one could.
However, my kids do like Wonder Woman. Which is why the book is safe in its spot in my get list.
1 comment:
I've always had the same problem with Wonder Woman -- I like her as a character, but I don't necessarily like READING about her. I've always preferred Black Canary. Aw, heck -- I've always preferred ogling at handsome male heroes in their painted-on costumes. ;-)
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